1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates generally to chimney cleaners and more particularly pertains to a new and improved chimney cleaner which is designed primarily for removing creosote and which may be permanently installed within a chimney without any danger of interference with a combustion process occurring therein.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The use of chimney cleaners is generally well known in the art. In this respect, a typical example of a prior art chimney cleaner is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,028,769, which issued to Coviello et al. on June 14, 1977, wherein an apparatus for cleaning chimney flues and the like is disclosed. The Coviello et al. apparatus includes a pulley mounting structure which engages and is secured on an upper edge portion of a chimney flue together with a rope extending through the pulley and having a chimney cleaning device secured thereto. Basically, the Coviello et al. device consists of an eyebolt secured to a metal plate which is somewhat smaller than the inside dimensions of the flue, and the metal plate is then secured to a flexible plate which is slightly larger than the inside dimensions whereby the flexible plate sweeps along the inside of the chimney flue to remove creosote and carbon buildup therefrom. In one embodiment, the cleaning apparatus is provided with sawtooth edges along the outside portion of the flexible plate so as to further facilitate the chimney cleaning operation.
Inasmuch as the Coviello et al. apparatus does facilitate the cleaning of a chimney flue, certain disadvantages in its construction are evident. For example, the flat plate construction of the cleaning portion of the device completely blocks the chimney flue so as to prevent the use of the cleaner during such time as a combustion process is occurring within an associated furnace. Accordingly, the chimney cleaning apparatus cannot be permanently mounted within a chimney, thus greatly increasing the trouble and complexity associated with a cleaning operation. By the same token, the cleaning apparatus utilizes a mounting structure which is attached directly to the flue extending above a chimney and not to the chimney per se, thus presenting a concern regarding possible damage to the fragile porcelain construction of the flue.
There has been at least a couple of attempts to develop chimney cleaners which could be permanently installed to a chimney and which would not interfere with an ongoing combustion process. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 1,329,596, which issued to Harbort on Feb. 3, 1920, discloses a chimney cleaner which includes a topmost mounted carrying arm having a pulley centrally positioned thereon, and a chimney cleaner per se positionable within the chimney and being somewhat open and unencumbered in its construction whereby smoke could traverse up the chimney past the cleaner without substantial interference. To operate the chimney cleaner, a second pulley is utilized which is permanently affixed to a rotatable shaft bearingly supported within the chimney. In this regard, the installation of the Harbort apparatus requires that a pair of apertures be drilled through the brick construction of a chimney so that cylindrical bearing supports may be permanently installed therein. The rotatable shaft is then positionable through the bearings and a handle may be provided on an outwardly extending portion of the shaft so as to facilitate a rotation thereof. Additionally, some form of access must be provided to the interior of the chimney so that an operator can fixedly secure the second pulley on the rotatable shaft once the shaft has been longitudinally inserted through a first of the bearing members, thus making it apparent that the construction of the Harbort device is quite costly and complex, as is its attendant installation.
Another attempt at devising a chimney cleaning apparatus which may be permanently installed within a chimney is to be found in U.S. Pat. No. 4,138,758, which issued to Dodge et al. on Feb. 13, 1979, wherein there is disclosed a bracket centrally positionable over a topmost portion of a chimney, such bracket having a pulley retained thereon and serving to support, through a rope positioned thereover, a chimney cleaning brush. In this connection, the brush includes a plurality of spring loops which are quite flexible in construction and which are designed primarily for the purpose of removing soot accumulations. A weight may be provided on a bottommost portion of the brush so as to facilitate a downward movement of the brush through a chimney flue. While the open and unencumbered construction of the brush allows a combustion process to continue during a cleaning of the chimney, the extreme flexibility of the spring members associated therewith are inefficient in removing creosote accumulations. Further, the bracket assembly associated with the chimney cleaner utilizes but two support members positioned against the flue, thus presenting a substantial likelihood of damage to the flue as well as the potential of an unexpected collapse of the entire assembly. Further, the looped construction of the various springs could easily result in the same becoming snagged or lodged within a chimney flue, whereby no manner of upward or downward movement of the cleaner would dislodge the same thus requiring substantial and costly repairs.
Accordingly, it can be appreciated that there still exists a need for a chimney cleaning apparatus which may be permanently installed in a chimney, which may be securely mounted to the chimney per se as opposed to the flue portion thereof, and which may be operated concurrently with a combustion process occurring within a firebox associated therewith. In this respect, the present invention substantially fulfills this need.